East Longmeadow's Sacharczyk set to compete in Miss Teen United States-World

Date: 6/1/2010

May 31, 2010

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



EAST LONGMEADOW -- On May 1, East Longmeadow High School senior Tamara Sacharczyk was crowned Miss Teen Massachusetts-World 2010. It was her third pageant. Her fourth will be for the title of Miss Teen United States-World.

"I couldn't picture my life without pageantry now," Sacharczyk said. She began competing in pageants one year ago. "It's an escape from high school. I've built up so much self-confidence and met so many new friends . . . and it really gets you involved with volunteer work."

The organization that Sacharczyk works with -- the American Epilepsy Outreach Foundation -- is one very close to her heart. She was diagnosed with epilepsy, a neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain, two years ago.

"I wanted to positively impact other people's lives that were dealing with this too," she said. Sacharczyk will be dedicating herself to fundraising for the foundation this summer . . . except for June 21 through 26. That's when she'll be competing for the national crown in the Miss Teen United States-World Pageant in Houston, Texas.

Sacharczyk explained in the World system, participants compete in swimsuit, evening wear and interview categories. She said she's not nervous about any of the portions of the pageant because as a dancer, she's used to being onstage.

"I've been doing tons and tons of prep," she told Reminder Publications about the upcoming pageant. "I've been working out, working with my coach [Debbie Rogers] on my interview skills and my walk . . . and doing volunteer work really helps you find out more about yourself."

Whether or not she wins the national title, as Miss Teen Massachusetts-World, Sacharczyk will be making numerous appearances throughout the state this year. In the near future, she'll be participating in two Relay for Life walks and helping out at the Special Olympics in Rhode Island. She also plans to put together a fundraising fashion show in November, which is Epilepsy Awareness Month.

On June 11, she'll be speaking at Birchland Park Middle School's Career Day.

She'll also be starting her freshman year at the University of Hartford this fall, where she plans to major in general studies before transferring to Emerson College to major in broadcast journalism. Sacharczyk said she'd always been interested in the field, but once she started hosting "ELCAT News," she "fell in love."

The national competition is first and foremost in her mind right now, however.

"I could do so many positive things with my [national] title," she said. "I could travel and I could go on to the international competition."

Sacharczyk added that she promises she won't stop competing in pageants until she's forced to stop because of her age (most pageants are scholarship programs designed for high school- and college-aged young women).

To learn more about Miss Teen Massachusetts-World and Miss Teen United States-World, please visit www.missteen-massachusettsworld.com.